NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Code 215, Greenbelt, MD 20771

66 -- INDUCTIVELY COUPLED PLASMA ETCHING SYSTEM POC Catherine A. Cavey, Contracting Officer, Phone (301) 286-3721, Fax (301) 286-1720, Email catherine.a.cavey.1@gsfc.nasa.gov WEB: Click here for the latest information about this notice, http://nais.nasa.gov/EPS/GSFC/date.html#NAS5-99146. E-MAIL: Catherine A. Cavey, catherine.a.cavey.1@gsfc.nasa.gov. The NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center plans to procure a production line model Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) Etching System inherently designed for high aspect ratio, anisotropic (straight-wall) etching of polysilicon and single-crystal silicon from Surface Technology Systems (STS), also known as ST Systems USA Inc., 611 Veterans Blvd., Suite 107, Redwood City, CA 94063. NASA requires the delivery of a commercial Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) Etching system for research and development, single wafer processing designed inherently (from it's inception, for the sole purpose of ICP etching, not simply a modification of a previous system design which was intended for a purpose other than ICP etching) for high aspect ratio, anisotropic (straight-wall) etching of polysilicon and single-crystal silicon. The system must be of the manufacturer's current year production model, not a prototype. The System shall meet the definition of "Commercial items, components, and services", set forth in Federal Acquisition Regulation Part 2.101. The system must be capable of through-the-wafer etching, up to 500 micrometer (um). It must be capable of, but not restricted to, operating using the etch-process known as the "Bosch process". Major components of the system must be off-the-shelf, readily available parts, not custom-made. The Contractor shall provide all of the necessary labor, materials, supplies, equipment and services required to deliver a system that meets the following specification requirements: Performance Requirements: The System shall be inherently designed to perform the following when etching silicon: Aspect Ratio Anisotropy of etch: Deep narrow trenches; depth:width (depth-to-width) ratio no less than 20:1, with sidewalls controllable within 90 degrees plus or minus 1.0 degree, no less than 35:1 with sidewalls controllable to 90 degrees plus or minus 3 degrees. High vertical walls and pillars; depth:width ratio no less than 20:1, 90 degrees plus or minus 1.0 degree sidewalls, and no less than 35:1 with sidewalls controllable to 90 degrees plus or minus 3 degrees. Etch Selectivity: Si:SiO2, not less than 200:1; Si:photoresist, not less than 75:1. Wafer etch rate nonuniformity: Within plus or minus 3 percent of average, across a 100 mm wafer, excluding 5mm at the wafer edge. (Nonuniformity calculated as (max-min)/(max+min) measured at 5 random positions across the water.) Etch rate: No less than 7 um ( um means one one-millionth of a meter) per minute, with sidewalls remaining vertical to within 90 degrees plus or minus 3 degrees, with a goal of 8 um per minute; and no less than 1 um per minute with sidewalls controlled to 90 degrees plus or minus 1 degree. Ability to Control the Etch to Stop on a Buried Silicon Dioxide Interface: The system must be capable of etching through 500 um silicon while maintaining sidewalls vertical within 90 degrees plus or minus 3 degrees and depth:width ratio no less than 20:1, and stop on a buried oxide with no undercutting of the silicon at the silicon:oxide interface. Process Stability: Chamber, gas flow, RF power and all other process parameters must be stable and capable of providing reproducible results from wafer to wafer, run to run, and process to process, without the necessity for lengthy conditioning procedures. (i.e.; all etch uniformity parameters must be repeatable within the boundary values given above regardless of number of wafers processed, or previous chamber history.) General Requirements: The system shall be identical to at least three working units currently operating in the field. NO SUBSTITUTIONS of major system components, including, but not limited to software, power-supplies, load-lock mechanisms, vacuum valves, gauges, or pumps. NASA/GSFC intends to award this contract under the authority of 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1)-Only One Responsible Source. There are no other known sources that can meet the requirements for this work. The specifications have been prepared based on NASA requirements for present and future micromachined detector development. A prior small business set-aside procurement was recently conducted for the identical requirement. A synopsis for this procurement had been published in the CBD on or about April 17, 1998 . Of the three offerors which submitted proposals, STS was evaluated by the Government to be the only offeror which could meet the Government's technical requirements. However, award to STS in November, 1998, was rescinded due to a business size issue. The Government now intends to award to STS on a sole source basis. A thorough market survey had been performed before preparation of the specifications for the prior procurement. This market survey included a web-search to find likely vendors. Three potential vendors were identified; the same three offerors submitted proposals. Further, discussions with end-users of Inductively Coupled Plasma Etch systems revealed no additional vendors. Any qualified responsible source may submit a written response which will be considered by the Agency. Firms desiring consideration must provide a written technical narrative statement of its capability, including detailed technical information demonstrating their ability to meet this requirement. The response shall be sufficiently detailed to permit agency analysis of the data to establish its bona fide capability to meet all of the requirements. Such qualifications/capabilities will be used solely for the purpose of determining whether or not to conduct this procurement on a competitive basis. Interested firms have 15 days from the publication of this synopsis to submit in writing their qualifications/capabilities to the identified point of contact at the above address via facsimile at (301) 286-1720 or e-mail to Catherine.A.Cavey.1@gsfc.nasa.gov. The use of faxed or e-mail requests rests solely with the interested party. No collect calls will be accepted. Responses received after 15 days or without the required detailed information will be considered nonresponsive to this synopsis and will not be given consideration. A determination by the Government to not compete this proposed effort on a full and open competitive basis, based upon responses to this notice, is solely within the discretion of the Government. An Ombudsman has been appointed. See Internet Note "B". Posted 03/30/99 (D-SN314101). (0089)

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